May 1, 2021, 4:06 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is "Dynamic Award Pricing" by UA; questions, experiences, .... {Archive}
The details:
Award travel updates
Introducing a broader range of award prices
Updates to award travel are on the horizon. For flights on or after November 15, 2019, we’ll no longer publish an award chart listing the set amount of miles needed for each flight.The details:
- Some award prices will be lower than what’s currently published in our chart. You may have already seen these prices, and you’ll be able to get them immediately.
- Other award prices may be higher than what you see today, especially if you’re traveling at a popular time. These prices will take effect immediately for travel November 15 or after.
- Starting November 15, we’re removing close-in fees, so you won’t be charged the extra fee of up to $75 for booking last-minute award travel.
- A flexible award travel calendar is available on united.com or in our app.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is changing?
For travel on or after November 15, we will no longer publish an award chart listing the set amount of miles needed for award flights. Award pricing will now fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including demand. Additionally, starting November 15, we will no longer charge a fee of up to $75 for award flights booked within 21 days of departure.When will these updates take effect?
The award pricing changes apply immediately to flights on or after November 15, 2019. Until then, award prices will be the same as or lower than what’s currently published in our award chart.How many miles will I need for award travel after November 15?
Award prices will now fluctuate based on a variety of factors. Some air awards will be available for less than what’s listed in our chart, which you may have already noticed. After November 15, award prices may also be higher, especially if you’re traveling at popular times. Use our flexible award calendar to get a monthly view of the award prices for a specific destination.Why are you making these changes?
Increasing award prices for the most in-demand flights allows us to offer better returns for our shareholders. If your award travel is flexible, these updates will help you make the most of your miles.How will these updates affect award travel availability?
United MileagePlus members with Premier® status and qualifying United Chase Cardmembers can continue to book award travel without blackout dates. For other members, most award flights that are available today will continue to be available after these updates take effect.Do the lowest-priced awards have any extra flight restrictions?
No. Our lowest priced awards do not have any added restrictions; the fare rules for all award travel apply.How can I find the lowest priced award for my travel?
The award calendar on united.com or in our app will continue to show the lowest available price for your destination.Will I earn miles on my flight if I book an award?
No. As with current award bookings, award travel in the future will not be eligible to earn miles with MileagePlus or any other loyalty program.What if I need to change my existing award?
If you need to change your award ticket, you will be issued a new ticket for which new pricing and additional fees may apply.What if I purchase a close-in award before November 15
The close-in booking fee will still apply to all tickets booked within 21 days of departure prior to November 15, 2019. We will not refund fees paid prior to November 15, even if travel occurs on or after November 15.
"Dynamic Award Pricing" by UA; questions, experiences, .... {Archive}
Apr 17, 2019, 5:05 am
#1036
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
I'm surprised folks actually earn much RDM with the airlines they fly. In the past year or so I probably earned maybe 12,000 as a Gold. That being said, if you're spending enough to earn heaps of frequent flyer miles, perhaps the better strategy is to find a Milage program that offers the best milage accrual and redemption which evidently may no longer be UA for your purpose. I suspect some of the Asian carriers like OZ might be relevant in that respect. Similar thing for DL, if you don't like how you're being treated choose a different game to play - AF/KL or KE are potential options there. Same thing for AA when they inevitably enhance their redemptions to meet industry expectations, credit your miles over to BA where the only thing that matters is the distance of your reward flight apparently!
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
You can put "ME" in capitals as many times as you like, but if award availability is truly 95% of why you choose an airline you'd best get prepared for a brave new world going forward.
As a famous TV shows likes to say, "Winter is coming" None of these programs are going to get better over time, just worse and further devaluations. The next shoe to fall will likely be the generous partner awards (across all three alliances)
Regards
As a famous TV shows likes to say, "Winter is coming" None of these programs are going to get better over time, just worse and further devaluations. The next shoe to fall will likely be the generous partner awards (across all three alliances)
Regards
Apr 17, 2019, 7:31 am
#1037
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
No doubt, that is the gist of this entire thread - I evaluate my position as things change. There is no way I can sit here and worry about what is coming next. I really hope the 15K spend will cull the ranks of the 1K (less GPU in the system) and reducing RPU will help with domestic upgrades etc. That won't fully manifest itself until next year.
I wish you to be right, but I'm skeptical that it will come to pass. If you rewind the clock several years, many believed that the 12K spend would "thin the herd"
Regards
Apr 17, 2019, 11:04 am
#1038
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Please Stay On Topic
The topic of this thread is UA upcoming change to "dynamic awards"
The best credit card deals or the best card to use instead of Chase cards or the practices of those make use of credit deals are interesting subjects but there is a forum for those discussions, https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cred...-programs-390/
Numerous OT posts have been removed, let's return the discussion to UA"s change to "dynamic awards"
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
The topic of this thread is UA upcoming change to "dynamic awards"
The best credit card deals or the best card to use instead of Chase cards or the practices of those make use of credit deals are interesting subjects but there is a forum for those discussions, https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cred...-programs-390/
Numerous OT posts have been removed, let's return the discussion to UA"s change to "dynamic awards"
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 17, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Apr 17, 2019, 1:37 pm
#1039
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1.65M , Platinum, 1K Emeritus, UC Lifetime , HHonors Gold, Presidential Plus card holder
Posts: 695
With dynamic pricing of awards UA will not only be able to adjust for demand, but they will also be able to discriminate by factors important to UA business.
I can see 'sales' on awards based on holding a UA credit card (or even by type of card), membership in UA Corporate Preferred, status, etc.
I have already taken advantage of discounts on awards due to my holding an MP CC.
This sort of thing may expand in ways that are surprising to some, but solidify relationships with partners.
I can see 'sales' on awards based on holding a UA credit card (or even by type of card), membership in UA Corporate Preferred, status, etc.
I have already taken advantage of discounts on awards due to my holding an MP CC.
This sort of thing may expand in ways that are surprising to some, but solidify relationships with partners.
Apr 17, 2019, 2:23 pm
#1040
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
You know, the ones who have 40+ credit cards primarily for the sign up bonuses and have corporate cards that they "max out" each and every month so that at the end of the year they've accumulated 2,000,000 miles. They then book a ton of award travel never spending a nickel with the airline. Meanwhile us loyal elites who do 100,000+ BIS each and only earn a measly 150,000 miles are lucky if a milage upgrade we applied clears! The influencers get the caviar and us loyalist get the scraps. What a deal!
Look I'm not faulting them. Heck, I've got a couple of credit cards in my name partly for that purpose. What I do have a problem is how BISness travellers aren't getting prioritized over the plastic-necks!
Safe Travels,
James
Look I'm not faulting them. Heck, I've got a couple of credit cards in my name partly for that purpose. What I do have a problem is how BISness travellers aren't getting prioritized over the plastic-necks!
Safe Travels,
James
I don't know about UA's financials but it's well publicized that AA makes more money selling miles than cash tickets. (This is sometimes mischaracterized as they make more money selling miles than flying people around -- which is ridiculous because miles are just an alternate form of payment). Someone who opens sufficiently many credit cards may very well be a better customer to the airline than someone who takes a couple of trips a month.
Apr 17, 2019, 2:47 pm
#1041
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
With dynamic pricing of awards UA will not only be able to adjust for demand, but they will also be able to discriminate by factors important to UA business.
I can see 'sales' on awards based on holding a UA credit card (or even by type of card), membership in UA Corporate Preferred, status, etc.
I have already taken advantage of discounts on awards due to my holding an MP CC.
This sort of thing may expand in ways that are surprising to some, but solidify relationships with partners.
I can see 'sales' on awards based on holding a UA credit card (or even by type of card), membership in UA Corporate Preferred, status, etc.
I have already taken advantage of discounts on awards due to my holding an MP CC.
This sort of thing may expand in ways that are surprising to some, but solidify relationships with partners.
In any event, I've started a thread to track these deals much like the other threads created to track ToDs, CPU/GPU/RPU clearance experiences, etc : UA Award Travel Offers (TOP)
Safe Travels,
James
Apr 17, 2019, 8:12 pm
#1042
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Plt, FB Silver
Posts: 846
My first response to this, when I began to envision DL-style 250,000-mile awards, was "it's over." If a mile can never get me more than $0.015 in value, I'll cancel my Chase cards and get a card that earns more in cash back. In fact, I called Chase to cancel my old United Platinum Class card. It offers 10k EQM for the first $10k in UA spend, but I gave up status after 10 years as a Premier around the time that silly CFO announced that elites are too "entitled." It also gives 2x miles on gas station, grocery, restaurant, and home improvement spend--which is almost everywhere I spend! But I can get $0.03-0.06 cash back in these categories with other cards. If reasonable premium awards are a thing of the past, I'll quit trying to earn miles. I figured I'd keep my Club card for now, to see how valuable the Premier Access and UC prove to be if I'm no longer earning miles on the card.
Chase tried to talk me into downgrading to the United TraveBank card, which gives a fixed $0.015 per dollar spent, redeemable only (but immediately) for UA travel. I told them I'd sleep on it.
But then I tried to book a few dummy awards, and saw that I can still find 70k J partner awards to Europe well past 11/15. If these stick around, I'll keep earning MP miles. When these become 300k awards, I'm likely off to Cash-Back land.
Chase tried to talk me into downgrading to the United TraveBank card, which gives a fixed $0.015 per dollar spent, redeemable only (but immediately) for UA travel. I told them I'd sleep on it.
But then I tried to book a few dummy awards, and saw that I can still find 70k J partner awards to Europe well past 11/15. If these stick around, I'll keep earning MP miles. When these become 300k awards, I'm likely off to Cash-Back land.
Apr 18, 2019, 3:38 am
#1043
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA *G 1MM LT United Club & Global Entry
Posts: 2,756
Going forward: award redeemers are going to have to be more flexible with dates, accept less favorable (more segment) routings, and accept flying on less desirable *A partners. A burden for some, and a big come down for those of us who are used to they way things used to be.
SL
Apr 18, 2019, 4:09 am
#1044
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
This is my basic thinking also. I watch 90k J partner awards to Asia. After the program change announcement both the quantity and the quality of saver award availability was reduced dramatically, but there is still some options out there.
Going forward: award redeemers are going to have to be more flexible with dates, accept less favorable (more segment) routings, and accept flying on less desirable *A partners. A burden for some, and a big come down for those of us who are used to they way things used to be.
SL
Apr 18, 2019, 6:05 am
#1045
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Plt, FB Silver
Posts: 846
This is my basic thinking also. I watch 90k J partner awards to Asia. After the program change announcement both the quantity and the quality of saver award availability was reduced dramatically, but there is still some options out there.
Going forward: award redeemers are going to have to be more flexible with dates, accept less favorable (more segment) routings, and accept flying on less desirable *A partners. A burden for some, and a big come down for those of us who are used to they way things used to be.
SL
Apr 18, 2019, 9:44 am
#1046
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,051
Most likely the airline is prioritizing whatever makes them the most revenue.
I don't know about UA's financials but it's well publicized that AA makes more money selling miles than cash tickets. (This is sometimes mischaracterized as they make more money selling miles than flying people around -- which is ridiculous because miles are just an alternate form of payment). Someone who opens sufficiently many credit cards may very well be a better customer to the airline than someone who takes a couple of trips a month.
I don't know about UA's financials but it's well publicized that AA makes more money selling miles than cash tickets. (This is sometimes mischaracterized as they make more money selling miles than flying people around -- which is ridiculous because miles are just an alternate form of payment). Someone who opens sufficiently many credit cards may very well be a better customer to the airline than someone who takes a couple of trips a month.
Apr 18, 2019, 11:01 am
#1047
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
This is my basic thinking also. I watch 90k J partner awards to Asia. After the program change announcement both the quantity and the quality of saver award availability was reduced dramatically, but there is still some options out there.
Going forward: award redeemers are going to have to be more flexible with dates, accept less favorable (more segment) routings, and accept flying on less desirable *A partners. A burden for some, and a big come down for those of us who are used to they way things used to be.
SL
What's really needed here are some good people keeping their eyes peeled for award availability and reporting any good deals they found. This is precisely why I started the United Award Deals thread as I suspect there'll be the occasional award flights which go for less than what the current Saver Rates are. Redeeming these awards will no doubt offer excellent value for money and will allow us savvy travellers to avoid the point surcharge the rest of the point collecting public experience!
The key challenge will be finding ways to quickly identify these sale routes. My thinking is to use the award search functionality and specify origins and destinations that UA doesn't serve, making note of the routings which trigger these promo award prices. For instance, searching EWR to VIE yields several 60K mixed-cabin J awards with Polaris J being offered on EWR > LHR, EWR > GVA and EWR > ZRH with the other segment to VIE being in OS Y. This one search was able to spit out 3 destinations in Europe in early 2020 that have this promo price.
Safe Travels,
James
Apr 18, 2019, 11:06 am
#1048
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
Apr 18, 2019, 4:52 pm
#1049
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,173
Chase UA CC coming up for renewal again, the only reason we have kept it for the past few years is for access to better/more award flights. With the new version is this still the case?...is availability better for card holders?....the only other reason to keep it was the free bag, but we haven't flown UA in 5 years so it seems like a waste.
Apr 18, 2019, 4:57 pm
#1050
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
The better award availability -- which will likely still exist, in some form -- only applies to UA-operated flights. So, if you haven't flown UA in the last five years, you haven't been getting anything out of it.